Request for Information (RFI) seeking market input on hosted and managed private infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) solutions for the Agricultural Research Council. Responses close 27 November 2026. This is not a binding tender.
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI, reference ARC/12/10/2026) to gauge market capability and interest in hosted and managed private infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS). Under this model, a service provider would host, operate and manage dedicated computing infrastructure, such as servers, storage, networking and virtualisation, on behalf of the organisation, typically in a private environment rather than shared public cloud. The RFI is a market-research exercise that helps the ARC understand available solutions, pricing models, technical approaches and implementation considerations before deciding whether to proceed with a formal tender. It does not award a contract.
The full scope, technical specifications, questions to respondents and submission requirements are set out in the bid document attached to the notice (a PDF titled "Bid Document for The Request For Information (RFI) Hosted and Managed Private Infrastructure-As-A-Service"). The document's content could not be extracted for this analysis, so the specific requirements, service levels, security standards, data-residency conditions, contract duration and any compliance criteria (such as B-BBEE or CSD registration) should be confirmed directly from that document before responding. Prospective respondents should not assume details beyond what the bid document states.
For businesses, this RFI offers an early opportunity to shape a potential future procurement and to position their hosting, data-centre, cloud or managed-services capability with a public research institution. Responses should be submitted by the closing date of 27 November 2026, and interested parties should review the bid document for clarification procedures and any information-session details. Note that the listed category on the eTenders portal ("Manufacturing") does not match the nature of this requirement, which is ICT-related; this may be a classification error on the notice and is worth verifying with the buyer.
ICT service providers, cloud and data-centre operators, managed service providers (MSPs), and systems integrators with hosted or managed private infrastructure capability. Cybersecurity and infrastructure-management firms that deliver hosted environments may also be relevant. Businesses should check the bid document for any eligibility requirements, such as local presence, data-residency rules, security certifications or B-BBEE status. Companies without hosting or managed-infrastructure capability are unlikely to find this RFI relevant, though those interested in future ARC ICT procurement may still wish to monitor the notice.
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